


Falling Underground

by RhysieRain



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Labyrinth Fusion, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Fantasy, Gen, Kent Parson Goes To (Magical) Therapy, M/M, Minor Violence, Past Kent "Parse" Parson/Jack Zimmermann
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-24
Updated: 2020-02-25
Packaged: 2021-02-27 19:20:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 12,822
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22880923
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RhysieRain/pseuds/RhysieRain
Summary: In a fit of jealous rage, Kent wishes Bitty away to a Goblin King and ends up trapped in a Labyrinth of vaguely familiar faces as he attempts to find his way to the castle and save Bitty.A Labyrinth style AU that is also inspired by Infinity Train and therapy via magical kidnapping. There is no actual Labyrinth characters in this so I don't think it can be classed as a crossover
Relationships: Alexei "Tater" Mashkov/Kent "Parse" Parson, Eric "Bitty" Bittle/Jack Zimmermann, Kent "Parse" Parson/Jack Zimmermann
Comments: 5
Kudos: 42





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is extremely self-indulgent just like all of my writing so don't roast me if its bad lads

Kent had always had a problem with running his mouth. Words just always seemed to spew out no matter how hard he tried to keep it in. It happened when he was a kid, nasty barbs attacking his sister and his mother, both resulting with a sharp smack against the side of his head. But Jack. Jack was the worst for him. He'd found himself apologising many a time when they were kids, thoughtless words coming out easily. Eventually, he grew out of apologising for them. And then after the overdose, the barbs came out sharper, meaner from the pain that fuelled them. Just like now.

"The _Falconers_? Really, Jack, you could've done better than the shittiest expansion in the league."

"They offered me a good deal and besides, I'm right where I want to be."

"Right by your little housewife." He sneered before continuing "I mean, seriously Zimms, cradle robbing for a downgraded twink version of me? It's pathetic."

"Bittle is a senior, and an adult at that, it's hardly cradle robbing."

"Is that what you told yourself when you were checking out that 18-year-old ass?" 

"No Kent." Jack sighed, hand brushing against his forehead. "What do you want from me, for me to cancel my signing, cancel my relationship?"

"I mean both would be nice." He smirked underneath the glow from Jack's glower.

"Seriously Kenny, you come to my house just to taunt me, just to shout at me?" Jack said, voice beginning to rise. "What. Do. You. Want?"

"I _want._ " Kent said, sauntering towards him "Us. Just- Us."

"I want to play with you again, like when we were kids. I want to kiss you and wake up next to you feeling up your-"

"Kenny," Jack said, placing a hand on his shoulder as Kent inched closer. "You can't have that. I'm- I'm happy. For the first time in a long time, I'm truly happy where I am. I can't just throw all of that away for you."

"And why not?" Kent said, anger flaring up "All that time playing together, training. For what? You to pussy out of what we dreamt of our whole lives? To give it up to stay in fuck off nowhere with some nobody?" 

"For god's sake, Kent this is not about you." Jack shouted, "This is not me being petty, I'm not living my life just to spite you."

"No Jack, of course, you aren't. You just happened to find another small blond hockey player to moon over you and follow you to the ends of the earth. Not to rub my nose in or anything ha!"

"Why are you acting like such an asshole." Jack growled throwing his hands in the air "You are acting like a child throwing a tantrum. I wish you could just be, oh I don't know, an adult?"

"Oh, I'm a child am I?" Kent said with a cruel laugh, jabbing his finger into Jack's chest. "Well, then I wish your shitty boyfriend would disappear. I wish I don't know, the fucking Goblin King will come and take him away, right now. So you are left with nothing but a team of strangers in a city you barely know."

"You know what, I'm done, Kenny," Jack said, raising his hands into the air in defeat. "I'm going out to blow off some steam and you can see yourself out. Maybe actually apologise to Bitty for how you treated him, if you're done being a child that is." 

"Fuck you, Zimmermann," Kent shouted as the door was slammed in his face. 

He growled, hands ripping through his hair as he pulled his snapback off and threw it on the floor in anger. He looked around Jack's showhouse bedroom, searching for something he could destroy. The minimalist decor stopped that. He threw himself on the bed, face into Jack's pillow as he screamed as loud as possible. This- This was probably not helping his case about definitely not acting like a child. He paused to breathe in and oh boy this was definitely another kind of mistake because the pillow still smelt like Zimms. Great. He flipped himself over and stared at the whiteness of Jack's ceiling.

That could've gone better. But what did he expect? 'Oh yes Kenny, lets run away to Vegas together, forget my boyfriend and the beautiful apartment with the kitchen I bought for him.' What a joke. 

He lost time staring at the white ceiling, hands resting on his belly as his rushed heaving breaths began to slow and he calmed down. He could feel himself practically drifting off, the sunset glow colouring itself against the white wall above his head. Until the fire alarm went off, sharp beeping ringing in his ears. 

He launched himself up, striding into the empty kitchen. He could see where it was coming from, black smoke creeping out the edges of the oven. He turned it off before scooping up a tea towel from the counter, he stood on his toes swiping the air underneath the fire alarm until its beeps stopped. He opened the window above the sink and turned towards the oven again, peeking at the now burnt pie inside as he let the smog out. Something was wrong.

Eric Bittle didn't leave pies unattended. Kent had stalked his social media, he knew as much. He was much too precious to ever get something wrong, especially for his dear boyfriend. But where would he have gone? He wouldn't have gone after Jack and left him alone in the house, he was surprised Zimms even left him to show himself out. He looked around the empty living room. 

"Bittle?" He called, peeking into the open bathroom. Behind him, one of the pans clattered. He turned sharply towards the kitchen and walked in suspiciously. Nothing had changed so far, the washing up still left in the sink with the bubbles almost gone, and the cooling rack of miniature pies, all six still perfect- Or not. There was only 5. Hm. He could've sworn there was 6 when he came in. He looked around suspiciously once more before turning back to the now cooler oven, the smoke now gone. He shoved the soft mitts on and pulled the pie dish out of the oven, turning to place it on the island counter behind him. Or at least that was the plan until he dropped the pie, the tin clattering loudly against the tiles.

He stared at the man in front of him. He was possibly the largest man, in width and length, he had seen. He wore a dark black fur-lined cloak that poured over his shoulders and the navy blue tunic underneath. He towered over, even without the impressive fur cap on his head. His eyes were almond-shaped and downturned and his intense stare made him feel trapped, like a deer catching the first glint of the gun and knowing he had no time to run. 

"Oh no." The man said, "You are dropping pie, it looked good."

"It's burnt." He said dazedly 

"Mini ones are good, I am thinking maybe it is supposed to be burnt. New pie type."

"Right." Kent said slowly "Who are you?"

"Oh right." The man replied, stepping around the island. "I am Goblin King. Or Alexei. Whatever is easiest."

A large hand crept around Kent's side before pulling one of the mini pies towards him before shoving it in his mouth whole, the blueberry filling smearing his lips.

"I- what? Goblin King?" He asked, still in some sort of shock. Or disbelief.

"You are wishing baker wasn't here, I am taking him. Nice favour for you." The other man says looking down at him "You get boyfriend forever, I get pies forever. Win-win."

"No, No, No." Kent says louder and louder "Not win-win. Win-Lose."

Shit. There is absolutely no fucking way that Jack is even going to _look_ at him again if he has managed to curse Jack's boyfriend out of existence. I mean if Jack comes back and sees this scene, Kent is going to be impaled on a hockey stick and hung out to dry.

"I wasn't being _serious_ , I was being a stupid idiot." He said desperately. "Here you, uh, you take these pies as an apology for dragging you all the way out here from... wherever and bring Bittle back here. No harm no foul"

"Oh, it is not working like that. He is in Goblin realm, in castle."

"Okay then, well, you just go there and bring him back. Preferably before Zimms gets back."

"No no, you not understand." The Goblin King said "You have to come collect, go through maze, solve puzzles. Prove you want back."

"Prove I want him back?" He cried "Can I do it and just like pretend."

"Pretend?"

"Pretend I want him back." Kent explained, "I would really prefer if he was gone but then again I would really prefer not being a smear underneath a Zamboni so."

"I am lost."

"I don't want him back, I need him back. So I don't die."

"That will work." The man laughed "You just go through labyrinth and not be dying and rescue him."

The man picked up another pie and bit into it before hoisting a large arm up and holding it up towards Kent. 

"Come. I take you to gates, show you."

Kent gingerly wrapped his arm onto the others and when he blinked, he was surrounded by a golden glowing sky. In front of him stands tall sandstone walls, ivy and moss creeping in through the cracks and up the sides. He could see, in the distance, the turret of a castle towering at the other side of the maze. He stared, arm still grasped around the other man's. He chuckled and patted his hand and pulled out a golden pocket watch underneath the thick wool cloak. He showed it to Kent. 

"Time is 12 pm. You have 13 hours to find castle and save friend."

"Not a friend but okay," Kent replied nodding to himself.

The Goblin King seemed to stare for a moment before tapping the back of the pocket watch, the golden chain linking it to his body disappearing. He held it out. 

"You will be needing, da? I have many clocks, no need to check."

Kent reached out to grab the watch, inspecting it as he went before a large hand cupped around his and held it there for a moment.

"I am wishing luck, Kent Parson." The man murmured "I will be seeing you soon." The large hands squeezed around his for a moment before fading as the man seemed to disappear. 

Okay. Labyrinth. He could do that. Probably?

* * *

He could probably not do this. He couldn't even get into the maze for fuck's sake. He was sure that he had spotted a gate when he first opened his eyes and yet- it was all fucking wall. Were they really going to fuck him like this? Seriously?

"Dude, you need to stop staring the wall out." A female voice said behind him. He turned around, saw the owner of the voice and then turned again to have a minor, maybe major, freakout. It was a mermaid. A familiar-looking one. She was Asian, with short hair drifting around her shoulders and decorated with little beaded pearls. She was sat in a small pool, midnight blue tail dipped out over the side of her small pool as she sat examining her nails with a bored expression.

"I'm not staring it out." He said turning around once again. "I'm... inspecting it. For an entrance."

She snorted and fixed him with a deadpan expression. "Seriously man? It's right behind you."

"It is not you liar-oh." Apparently, it was. Instead of the dusty old wall, there was now a giant mahogany gate opening towards him. He turned around again to say well something but the mermaid was gone, her tail splashing him as she dipped back down under the pool. How rude. He was going to thank her. Eventually.

'Whatever' he thought as he strode confidently into the labyrinth. This was going to be a piece of cake. He hadn't spent his summers helping out his uncle in the south to not do corn mazes. He knew the tactic he used to use; scraping his fingers around the right edge of the wall and following it around all of the corners. It should lead him, at some point, to the centre of the maze and then he can figure his way out from there. It's fine.

And he does just that, fingers growing number as the brick underneath continually grazed his fingers. He didn't have to keep a hold of the wall, not really. He just found the sensation comforting in a way, something familiar he'd do as a kid. At least it meant he was probably not dreaming. You couldn't feel pain in a dream. Or was it taste? Ah well.

He is stopped by the wall disappearing underneath his fingertips and he pauses to stare at the wall he'd just passed. It was a normal wall. He frowned, head-turning left and then right. There were no corners to be seen, certainly not in front of him. And yet he'd felt an edge. He placed his palm again on the wall and grazed it across, hand falling off the wall once more. He stepped forward and into the illusion. OH. Now, this was big brain tactics, hiding the mazes inside with illusions. Very sneaky. But Kent had caught it because of course he can he's not the Aces greatest tactician for nothing (Well he's not, but still. He is smart.)

He slaps the side of the wall and taunts the air. "Ohoho, what a clever little trick. Too bad I felt it."

He pressed on, hand still running along the edge. He almost wanted to pull his new pocket watch out, check on the time but he felt almost too afraid to. Like if he checked the time it would say only one hour left because he'd been too distracted feeling up the walls. He supposed someone would tell him if he ran out of time. Or he'd be left stuck in the maze forever which was a scary thought. 

As he walked on, looping through a dead end and back through the same path he was stopped by another dead end. He frowned. What. He had just been this way. There was no way that there's a wall here now. He frowned and placed a hand on the wall. The brick looked the same, the same weeds sticking out through the bricks but there was something off about it. He tapped it gently, a hollow sound answering him back. A fake wall. A fake wall designed to get him confused and lost. 

He felt the anger rise in front of him as he punched the wall viciously, slamming his knuckles into it. "Hey you fucking asshole, I'm not stupid." He shouted, "Stop changing the fucking paths, it isn't fair."

The silence in return makes him angrier and then, angry at himself. 'Isn't fair'. Ha! He still sounded like a child, punching walls like a sweaty teen in his puberty angst. He huffed in frustration and thunked his head against the wall. Fuck this. Zimm's not-hatred was not worth this crap. He pushed himself off the wall and then halted. It had wobbled. The crap imitation wall has _moved._ He grinned viciously and paced backwards a few steps. Maybe it just needed a nice good shove. He rammed his shoulder into and pushed it forwards, watching it push over and then pushover what lay in front of it, the fake walls falling like dominos. His own victorious cackles rang loud above the groans of whatever poor suckers were keeping the wall up. He climbed over, jumping from each wall for the other. They couldn't _really_ have been stupid enough to line up to hide the path like that surely. He continues his victory lap until he reaches the end, another dead end. He stares at the wall, trying to figure out if its another fake wall. Maybe he should try another shove. Walking to the end of his current platform, he attempts to hop neatly onto the brick path once more. It would've worked well if it wasn't for the hole opening up suddenly beneath him, launching him down into a dark abyss. He didn't even have time to scream.

* * *

Bitty wakes up with his head resting on one hand, elbow jammed onto a brick surface. He blinks slowly and raises his head, inspecting the room. It was a large dining hall of some kind with rugged stones walls and a tall ceiling held up by gigantic beams. There were dark blue tapestries hung on the walls, framing the large glass window panes towering beside them. This was certainly not Jack's kitchen. Or Providence. Or even America. 

He rose out of his slumped position to look around more before noticing the hulking figure sat on the steps leant back. He seemed to lean his head back further eyes closed for a moment before noticing Bitty out of the corner of his eye. He grinned infectiously. 

"Ah, little baker join us in world of living!" He said standing up to tower over Bitty and his seat.

"What happened?" He asked tentatively, "Where am I?"

"Oh yes! You are not knowing." The man said still smiling. "You are in Goblin Realm"

"Oh right." Bitty said with a pained laugh "The Goblin Realm, huh... No big deal." He laughed again, almost hysterically

"Your friend, in argument with the boyfriend, he wish for you to disappear forever and I take you here."

"As in... Kent? Kent is why I'm here?" 

"Da, that's right. He is not getting way with boyfriend and so asks me to take you away."

"Well." Bitty said tartly "Bless his heart."

The man peered down at him and cocked his head. "I am not understanding." He said, "You are being nice, blessing heart for making you disappear."

"Oh no honey," Bitty laughed sharply "It ain't being nice, not when I say it."

"I do mean it though, bless his heart. Takes a... special kind of person to whine about not getting what he wants to the point of making little ol' me disappear."

He pats the large man's arm as he gets up and begins to stretch his arms above his head before continuing. 

"So what now? Is this like purgatory or somethin'? Am I gonna be here hanging out forever or?" He questioned.

"Not yet." The man said, "If Kent beats maze, comes get you, you can leave."

"I'm sorry," Eric began "Did you say if Kent beats a maze, I can go home?"

"Yes. He is regretting actions, demands you back but rules say he has to come and get you himself."

"Regretting his actions? Good lord, he shouldn't have said it in the first place. He shouldn't have even been harassing Jack in the first place!"

He began to pace back and forth, his angry mutters from under his breath echoing lightly across the room. "I mean I heard what he said to Jack, there ain't no way he'd be regrettin' this. He's far too selfish for that."

He mutters continually before stopping abruptly, running a hand through his sandy hair in frustration. "How much time does he have left? To... find me I guess?"

"Still has 10 hours, is making good time. Nearly at centre of maze."

"And all he's gotta do is solve this maze? Why does that sound too easy."

"Is not easy, is hard maze. Lots of magick make it dangerous."

"I see." Bitty said, stopping his continual steps for a moment "Why are you doing this anyway?"

"I do not know what you are meaning."

"Well if you're some big scary Goblin King, surely you got better things to do than grant wishes to Kent Parson of all people."

"Uh-"

"Like, there's gotta be thousands of snotty little kids wishing each other away and I'm guessing there ain't any other people tryin' to solve this maze."

"Well, I-" The man said, a red blush tinging across his cheeks up to the tips of his large ears. "I am noticing Kent. He is loud, louder than others."

"Louder than others, 'huh?" Bitty said with a smirk, eyes dancing with amusement as he watched the reddening face.

"Enough." The man said, raising his voice, "We having long waiting time and I have to- I am having to keep eye on the maze, yes, so maybe little B can make pie?"

"Pie?" Eric countered, eyebrow raised at the almost puppy-like expression this _Goblin King_ gave him 

"Like small ones, the blueberry, but big. I take you to kitchen, you bake nice big one."

Bitty nodded absentmindedly before his eyes snapped wider with alarm.

"My pie! Oh lord in heaven, it didn't burn did it?" He cried

The man just pushed his back, forcing him to follow him "I say do not be worrying, make other pie. Is fine."

* * *

For a moment after landing on the hard floor, Kent thinks that he is blind. There is no light wherever he is and it isn't till his eyes slowly adjust to the dark he can see that he is in a cave formation. He frowned, trying to make out anything in the darkness. This had to be a part of the Labyrinth somehow, right? There'd be no reason for some grim tunnels going nowhere. Maybe if he tried walking through, he'd come out somewhere else in the Labyrinth. Or better yet, inside the Goblin Castle! He knew it was wishful thinking but hey, he was allowed to dream.

He fumbled around in his pocket for a moment, shoving his wallet to one side before pulling out the plastic lighter he carried around. He flicked it on for a moment, eyes wincing at even the small amount of light. Looking along the walls in the momentary light, he could see the sconces lining the rock wall, small candles perched inside. The faint burn of the lighter flame became too much and he let it go, hissing at his sore thumb and walked carefully towards the wall. He felt around for the sconce, hand going over the glass and he pulled out the candle from inside and lit it quickly. That was better.

The room just seemed like a landing zone, rock walls crowding around him and winding around to the tunnel entrance at one side of the room. He pocketed a few more of the candles from the sconces and carried on down the tunnel. The walls began to change, becoming smoother and smoother before changing into being carved walls.

On either side of the tunnel, there seemed to almost be a rock tapestry, carvings leading down the tunnel. The carvings weren't too complicated, with two men on either side who seemed to be depicted skating through the carving towards him. He blinked. They weren't just depicted skating, they _were_ skating. The came closer, somehow laughing and they stopped looking at him standing at the end of the tunnel. 

"Aw, man dude how did you end up down here."

"Yeah man, no one comes down here, closed off the passage ages ago."

"We really need a sign don't we?"

"I fell into here." Kent interrupted "The ground opened up and I fell into that cave down there."

"OH" One of them yelled 

"You bad boy, what did you do to make the Labyrinth angry?"

"To wha?" Kent said confused "make the Labyrinth angry?"

"Yeah," said one of the men.

"She doesn't like cheaters."

"Well, I wasn't cheating." Kent said irritably "If anything, they are. Carrying fake wall and making me lose my way, that's not exactly fair."

"My broski, it's not about being fair-" said one

"It's about playing the game." finished the other

"I don't have time for this," Kent said voice raising, storming angrily down the corridor, the carvings skating after him.

"Just listen, it'll help. Pinky promise."

"Holster, dude, you don't even have pinkys-"

"Figure of speech Ransom"

Kent sighed, the urge to beat his head into the wall growing stronger. "How is this helping me?"

"It isn't." said one, Holster? , "But allow me to tell you something that will."

"DOn't worry about the goblins or the king, you need to worry about the _maze._ "

"The maze?"

"Yes, the maze." The other said "For the maze, this is a game. It isn't about fair play from both sides, it's about playing its game. It wants you to get lost and struggle. It wants you to put a bit of suffering into getting through it."

"I thought the point was that I had to finish the Labyrinth?"

"Well yes as a goal. But the Labyrinth, man, that's a whole different story. IF you don't play the game how it wants, it'll punish you like this. Putting you on a track you can't escape. And man, you haven't even got to the hurty stuff yet."

"Hurty stuff?"

"Oh yes, this godforsaken place has quite the way of knowing just what people make you tick, make you angry. They'll probably get sucked in just to fuck with you."

"You are saying too much." A voice called from behind him, silencing the carvings instantly 

"You're on your own dude, see ya." One of them said from his left, skating away down the corridor.

"Ch'yeah bye." Said the other, also skating away.

He wheeled around to look at the so-called Goblin King. _Shit._ Now that was a fucking look. Instead of the thicker woollen clothes and fur trims, the man was dressed casually in a tunic-style shirt, buttons open to give a peak of hair underneath. A long belt wrapped around a flat belly and the tunic split off revealing the tight, and Kent means tight, riding trousers underneath. It was a look that was for sure, All he needed was a horse, a gust of wind and maybe a bit more head and he'd look like the cover of every bad pulp fiction book Kent had ever read. And he had read a lot.

"What's wrong, don't want them telling me how to actually solve this maze." 

"Maze will not let you solve if you are knowing too much."

"Of course it won't," Kent said bitterly "Why are you here anyway."

"I am checking up, making sure you are okay. How are you liking Labyrinth?" The larger man walked closer.

Kent stared at his feet for a brief second before looking up into his face.

"Oh, it's great man. It's a breeze, really, I'll be out of here in no time." 

"If it is being breeze, you have no problem upping stakes then?" The king says laughing "Let's take some time off, da?"

He leans in close and pulls Kent closer, reaching into his pocket to pull out the watch from earlier. When his large hands touch it the clock winds forward and Kent snatches it back from him with a yell.

"What the hell man." He yelled, "That wasn't a fucking invitation to make my life harder."

"Is rules of Labyrinth, of game," The King says softly "I am sor-"

"No, you're not," Kent said sharply, cutting him off "THis is your Labyrinth, you brought me here."

"You have not been paying attention if you are thinking that." 

Kent growled fiercely, anger still pumping through his veins. It was similar, Kent thinks, to how he was on the ice. Blood pumping harder, deeper breaths and darker eyes after every chirp, after every push and shove. So, of course, he would react similarly. And by similarly, he means sending his fists flying. And much like in hockey, the much larger man reacted back.

Kent pushed him back with a fierce shove, knuckles slamming against the man's chin in a dirty move. The king scowled at him and, presumably, swore in some foreign language. Maybe it was Goblin (Man, Goblin must sound a lot like Russian Kent thinks.) Kent's wrist is circled by a giant hand and he is practically lifted off the ground. With the man's fingers digging into his bone, he is shaken vigorously

"Rat!" The man snarls "I am not putting you here, I am following rules. You ask for this, you come willingly. Is not my fault that you are a sore loser."

"I am not a sore loser." Kent hisses, "It's just not _fair."_

"You listening to walls yes? Is not about being fair or not being fair." The man says lowly "It is what it is."

The man drops him and immediately Kent's left-hand goes to circle around his own wrist, feeling to sore muscle for any sign of bruising before being shoved backwards himself. He gasps and finds himself falling further and further backwards, not even hitting the wall. He is surrounded by unfeeling darkness until he hits the water and begins to sink. He sucks in a large breath as his head become submerged and he closed his eyes.

* * *

When he reopened them, the darkness seemed to be mostly gone, light from above him. He began to swim upwards but Kent had never been a good swimmer. It's not like he had grown up anywhere with lakes or a swimmable ocean and swimming in a pool was different. The movement of this water pushed and pulled at his body and his arms grew sluggish as he held his breath desperately. 

Suddenly, skinny arms wrapped themselves around his waist and pulled him upwards to the light. As he breached the surface of the water he took in long gasping breaths desperately as he was pulled to a small island in the centre of the pond. He shakily grabbed at the mud on the bank, quivering fingers clenching around the dirt. He flipped himself over and laid down, feet still being lapped by the water. The sky is still orange, he thought to himself. He must be back in the Labyrinth somewhere.

"You were lucky I was swimming by dude." A female voice at his feet says

He pushes himself up by his elbows and sees the mermaid from earlier, perched in the shallow water. Her tail curved around the rest of her body and she seemed to have layers and layers of seaweed wrapped around her chest to hide it from view. 

"Thanks." He breathed out. 

"It's nothing." She said, "You gotta do what you gotta do."

"Where are we?" Kent asks, huffing out one last heavy breath as he began to return to normal 

"This is the centre of the Labyrinth." She says, nails dancing over the scales that lay her thighs would be "The end of the bricks and the start of the forest." 

"Oh," Kent replies. He had assumed it would all be bricks and walls. 

He fully sits up, inspecting the water around him. On one side he could see the remnants of the built maze, the walls staring at him. On the opposite side, he could see a forest with tall pine trees acting as a wall to what was behind. There was a wooden bridge connecting the island he was sat on to this area and a figure stood blank in the middle.

He stands up.

"Wait." The mermaid says "Before you go, a warning if I may?"

"Go for it." He says with a sigh 

"People in this maze take faces. Faces you have seen in your life, similar to dreams. But, you will find that those closest to you are in fact themselves. They will remember this just as well as you."

"Why are you telling me this." He asks tiredly 

"If you leave him here, the Labyrinth will not give him back." She says softly 

"Why does everyone say that the Labyrinth does this, the Labyrinth will do that?" He asks loudly "Surely it's your damn King who makes these decisions."

The mermaid said nothing, tucking a wet string of floppy hair behind her ear. 

"Good luck Kent." She said with dark eyes fixed on him, before twisting around and launching herself into the deeper end of the water and underneath.

Kent sighed in annoyance and rolled his shoulders back with a stretch. He ached and hurt and really could do with a nap, but he doubted he had time. Curiously, he stuck his hand in the back pocket of his jeans and pulled out the watch, inspecting how much time he had left. 6 hours. More than half his time gone. He squared his shoulders. Halfway through with halfway time. He could do this. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The second part to this story!

Standing in the centre of the wooden bridge leading to the other side of the Labyrinth is a knight. From where he's stood he can see a crimson velvet cloak flowing in the wind, revealing dark blue fabric underneath, and neatly trimmed black hair. He stands silently, presumably guarding the bridge. Squaring his shoulders, Kent marched forward. As soon as he stepped onto the bridge, the oak plank creaked beneath his feet. The knight twirls around and a sharp sword balances in front of Kent's nose.

_ "Arrêtez!" _

It's Jack. Of fucking course it's Jack. There's no way that this stupid Labyrinth wouldn't use Jack against him. It's not even a sore spot for them to nudge, it's a raw gaping wound perfect to stick a knife into. He thinks for a moment about risking it all, pushing him over the side of the bridge and running. He'd probably get the sword impaled into his neck before his hands even touched the other man. The mermaid's words drift back to him, about the Labyrinth taking faces and then about it taking  _ people. _ Kent didn't doubt for a moment that this was, somehow, the real Jack. It was a great way to hurt him, distract him, whatever this stupid place wanted to do. 

Kent lifts his hands with precision. 

"It's just me, it's just... Kent" He says carefully as the other man seems to size him up.

For a moment, Kent thinks that this is the real Jack, who has come to kill him, to slit his throat for banishing his boyfriend to a different world. The squinted eyes in anger are the same as when Jack had screamed at him earlier, the same protective glint in his eye. But he was pretty sure the real Jack wouldn't hold a sword up to his throat for this amount of time. Or even know how to actually use a sword. 

"Well, Just Kent," Sort of Jack says, his accent more French than usual. "I am the knight Jacques, guardian of the bridge." 

He withdraws his sword with a flourish before returning it to the scabbard at his hip. Turned around, Kent can see the man makes a pretty convincing, and fancier, version of Jack. Their haircuts are the same and his face is more clean-shaven than the Jack he saw earlier. He wears a navy royal blue getup with a high collar wrapped around his throat and gold trimmings gleaming from various areas. He is shining and beautiful, 'he always is' says  _ that _ voice inside Kent, and he looks exactly like the prince the media always made him out to me. 

"Well...  _ Jacques.  _ " He replies, mouth curling around the unfamiliar name 

"May I please, uh, have access to the bridge. Seeing as you're the guardian and all."

"Absolutely not!" Jacques cries before Kent is even finished, his nostrils flared and hand flying to his hip.

"Please?"

"No."

"... Pretty please?" Kent says this time, smiling his sweetest smile and batting his eyelashes as heavily as he could.

"No." says Jacques, unaffected.

Kent pouts and crosses his arms as he glared at the knight. The real Jack would've let him past, would've been weak to his nicest smile. Well, at least Jack always used to be weak to it. Maybe he's unaffected now that he has a sweeter blond to give him nicer, less fake smiles. Kent bites his lip sharply, stopping his thoughts from spiralling back into that area once more. 

"Why not?" He whines at the man petulantly. 

"I cannot let you past because," He states, " I am protecting my prince."

"Your prince," Kent replies flatly

" _ Oui,  _ my prince. He is being held at the Goblin King's castle and I have been promised that if I protect the bridge for as long as I am needed, we will one day be wed."

"Have you ever, like, seen your prince?" He asks gingerly 

"Of course," Jacques says loftily, head held high as he looked at Kent "Why I caught a glimpse of him in the throne room before I was stationed here. He was beautiful, perfect. I knew that I had to protect him the moment I saw him" 

Kent sighed loudly and leaned against the wooden fence and looked up into the sky. 'Why God?', he thinks, 'Why him?'. He didn't ask for this, to be stuck listening to another Jack croon and slobber over his replacement. He couldn't even scream and yell at this one, he didn't even know who Kent was. 

"Listen, I'm gonna be real with you Jacques." He says, pushing up off the fence "This sounds like a you problem. Now me? I've gotta deal with a me problem that, coincidentally, means getting across this bridge."

"That also sounds like a you problem." Jacques replies " I cannot allow you to pass m and go across this bridge." With this, he pulls out his sword again and pushes the point towards the ground, placing both of his hands on top of it to become immovable.

Well immovable object, it's time to meet the unstoppable force that is Kent.

"I mean, it's too bad really." He says, shaking his head "I mean, the whole reason I have to get past you is to help save your prince."

He turns around and pauses for a moment.

"To... save my prince?" The knight behind him asks

"Well I mean of course," Kent says knowingly " After all, he is being held there against his will. We're, uh, good buddies. Chums, friends, platonic pals." 

"Against his will." Jacques mutters "I was not aware of this."

"It's okay." Kent says, patting Jacques shoulder " If only you could let me past, we could go and save him together."

" I mean, if I was a handsome prince locked away, I would be ecstatic to have a handsome knight rescue me, why, I would even marry them there and then. Wouldn't even make them wait on a grotty old bridge." 

He pauses again for effect, looking down to hide the smug smirk that was dancing across his face. 

"Oh well!" He says loudly "I guess my quest has failed, I'll just be going."

He let a beat pass before making a move to step off the bridge. Check.

"Wait," Jacques says suddenly

And, mate. 

"Perhaps, I could allow you to continue on your journey." Jacques says thoughtfully, "If you would allow me to accompany you."

"I will allow it," Kent says haughtily before the self-satisfied smirk makes its way across his face again. He grins at the knight who has already holstered his sword and has his body turned, ready to let Kent pass. Kent walks past him grinning ear to ear. Thank god in this world Jack wasn't the brightest bulb in the house. 

* * *

Bitty would never say that being kidnapped was a good thing, of course, it wasn't. It was bad, and he really would like to be home with Jack, checking on the pie he left in the oven. But... on the other hand... the opportunity to try using an antique wood-fired oven? Eric only had a certain amount of strength in him. At least it was a distraction. There was always something comforting about the methodical way it took to rub the butter and flour together, the way he pulled the knife around the apple peeling it before dicing it up small. He could close his eyes and be back home in his own, 'Jack's' he realises, kitchen. 

"Pie is being ready?" Says a hopeful voice behind him

Behind him, the so-called Goblin king had already opened up the iron door of the oven to look in. Bitty slapped his hand with the kitchen spoon, the guilty expression and the way he clutched his hand eerily reminiscent of Ransom and Holster. 

"They've only just been put in, they ain't gonna be done yet." He says, standing firm under the pout. "Now, sit down, you can wait like a gentleman."

The large man carefully sits in one of the deep burgundy oak chairs, still pouting and Bitty turns back to his half-finished tray of miniature pies, meticulously laying down the tiny lattices on top.

"Now, he begins, "You and I were having a conversation before you marched me into here."

"Were we?" The bigger man mumbles

"Now, tell me more about Parson." He says, "You said he's loud, 'course he's loud, even I know that. But you don't see me granting him wishes." 

"He is being loud, and I am hearing," THe goblin king mumbles " I like loud. Loud and bright."

"What else?" Bitty asks with a hum.

"Soft hands," is muttered in response and Bitty surges around.

"Soft hands?" He practically shouts and the man looks at him alarmed.

"Yes?" 

"Now," Bitty says, abandoning his pies and sauntering at the table "How does a so-called Goblin King know about hockey terms? Or hockey in general. That somethin' y'all play here or?"

The man's eyes are as wide as saucers as he stares at Bitty with his mouth open

"No, I am meaning soft, nice hands. Using cream yes." The man says hurriedly and Bitty smiles disbelievingly 

"I have seen Kent Parson's hands and I can't tell you now that boy don't use moisturiser, none of those hockey boys do." He says firmly 

The man sighs and rubs his hands against his eyes before glancing at Bitty.

"I am not supposed to be telling, " He starts "When I wake, is like a voice in head, telling me what to do, what the same. Is this place, it take me here and it uses me as prop, as villain. I am knowing Kent Parson before this."

"How?" Bitty asks curiously 

"I am player in KHl." He admits " I was in the US, talking contracts and signings and I am meeting Kent. Do not think he remembers me, maybe it doesn't let him. I remember thinking that he is looking sad. Pretty but sad, and I am having crush. It's a bad habit, I fall in love with everyone." He laughs softly and Eric slumps into the chair next to him in muted shock. "On way to airport, something happen. I remember the car, being hit, I am being thrown forward. And I wake up here as said." 

"Oh, honey." Bitty whispers, eyes wide "So, none of this is your doin'? It's all this... place."

"I am thinking so. It is like I am trapped here as well." He tells "The goblins, the real ones, they are not being seen because they are like pawns, making things happen. I go, and says things to Kent, and it is like a script in my head. I read it out but I am not knowing what it even means." 

"I am thinking, maybe I am dead? Maybe this is like the in-between and I am waiting to be gone. None of it makes sense but people are expecting me to know"

"Oh, honey," Bitty says again, his face crumpling.

He stands up and gently encloses his arms around him, rubbing his back with a petite hand. "I'm sure you're fine, the real you, I mean." He maintains.

"When it's over, you'll wake up fine and dandy just like the rest of us. Meet Kent, play in the NHL. This... thing, it ain't gonna be the end of everything, you'll see." Bitty says comfortingly "If you can, what's your name, your real one?"

"I am Alexei," He says before adding a quick "Mashkov."

"Well, Alexei," Bitty begins "We're just gonna hold on tight for now and see how it goes. And if you pass me that tea towel, we can get some of those pies outta the oven."

Alexei smiles at him honestly and Bitty smiles back, giving his shoulder a last comforting squeeze. 

* * *

This fantasy hell forest was going to be the death of Kent, he could feel it in his bones. The tall pines were malicious somehow, their branches would scratch at his skin if he walked too close and when the trees rustled, they didn't just rustle, they  _ whispered  _ to each other. He knew that they spoke because now and again, the wind would whistle through and he'd hear a ripple and then Jacques would laugh. Or one of the golden crows that perched in the branches above him would cackle somehow. It was starting to piss him off.

There was another gust of wind and a rush of whispers, resulting in Jack sniggering this time. 

"What." Kent asks flatly, "Is so fucking funny."

Jacques looked over his shoulder, soft amusement dancing on his face and down to the small smile. 

"Don't worry about it," He says, "Shitty just keeps making funny comments."

"Shitty?" He asks incredulously 

Jacques tilts his head at him "Can you not hear him? He's being very loud."

"Is Shitty... the trees?" He asked, feeling stupid just for asking. There's another blow of wind and then Jacques laughs again.

"He's not the trees." He says "He's the wind, he just speaks through the trees."

"Well then, do forgive my stupidity," Kent says disbelievingly. 

Oh no, it wasn't the trees that spoke, it was the fucking wind. What. Ever. The moment they got out of this cursed forest, Kent was going to kiss the ground in relief. He'd never talk about life being boring again, he'd never even watch Lord of the Rings again. He just wanted normal.

"He's not being mean, I promise." Jacques says, attempting a comforting smile "I don't know why you can't hear him too."

"It's probably because I don' talk to the wind often." Kent replies and Jacques seems to pause to consider this. 

Before Jacques ould say anymore, or even the wind could talk, Kent attempts to change the subject and says loudly "So tell me, Jacques, why do you love this prince of yours?"

"Why do I love him?" He parrots back

"Yes. You've never met him and yet here you are, waltzing about the forest with me. "

"Well, I guess" The prince begins "I love him because he makes me happy. I didn't at first, who does, but there was a moment, just one to start, that changed my whole view of him. We were in the kitchen and the sun glowed in his hair and all I could think about was wanting to capture it on film. Not for class, just for me and only me"

Kent's eyes snapped up rapidly. This wasn't the speech of a whimsical dream prince who talked to the wind. Jacques continues, becoming more passionate 

"Before I knew it, I was in love with him. I loved his kindness, the way he'd hum everywhere and dance in the kitchen. I'd love hearing him vlogging from my room and how it felt to score, to win, with him by my side. I love the way he smiles, especially when I'm the one to make him, and I love the way he laughs. I love his cooking and how he tries to teach me, and the way he holds my hands when they shake. He's everything to me, Kenny. Everything I never knew I needed."

Kent was frozen solid, stopped in the middle of the forest, staring at Jacques. That was pure Jack and it hurt. It was a stabbing blade to Kent's heart, a reminder that it wasn't him. He wondered if Jack had ever been able to spout poetry about how much he loved him like how he had for Bittle. Probably not. Jack turned his head backwards and then almost froze for a moment before rubbing the back of his head. 

"Sorry, did you say something?" He asks "I think I went blank for a moment." 

He smiles apologetically and Kent who let out a shaky breath, fingers tangling in his blond curls 

"I need to sit down... just for a moment." He says, half collapsing on the floor. Carefully, Jack sat beside him, the dark red of his cape being caked in the dust on the ground. 

"Are you okay Kent?"

Kent laughs bitterly. Absolutely fucking not. He had just wanted a break from the whispering wind and the silence. Some normalcy. Apparently normal in Kent's world is being reminded of being second best, of being told how much Jack loves someone who isn't him. What a nightmare. Next to him, Jack seemed to reach into a brown satchel that lay behind his sword, something Kent hadn't noticed. He pulled out a delicate cloth-wrapped parcel and opened it up, revealing small miniature pies. Like the ones that rested on the countertop earlier. 

"Here," he says "You should eat, you've been here for a while. These are favours, from my prince. I was saving them but as I'll see him soon there is no point hoarding them to myself. "

"I'm fine," Kent says. Just looking at the pies makes him feel sick

"Please," Jack says with worried eyes gazing down at him "You need some strength for the rest of the journey."

"Fine," Kent says, gritting his teeth, hand slamming into the top of the pie, crumbling some of the pastry. He bites into it and feels warmth immediately spread into his bones. It spreads down his body, making him feel practically tingly. The world around him starts to warp as he looks up into Jack's face, which has seemed to have grown more worried. 

"I'm sorry, Kent." He whispers before Kent's eyes rolled back as he found himself unconscious once again. 

* * *

Kent blinks, bright white in his eyes, and freezes for a moment. What had just happened, what was he doing before this moment? A forest maybe, and... Jack? He looked down at himself and saw that he was dressed in a suit. A nice one. It was something he'd look at wistfully online, lamenting the fact that he had nowhere to go dressed so nice. It was a pastel blue, the type that seemed to compliment his hair and it had pastel flowers going up the legs of the trousers and across the sleeves. He looks up from his clothing as the sounds around him seem to slowly get louder.

There is nice music playing, classical, and there are other people dressed formally. They all seemed to be mingling and laughing, some dancing to the music. But their faces seemed unclear and blurry like he was looking at them with a filter on. He walked further into the party, his shoes clacking against the tiles louder than anything else in the room. Suddenly, there was a hand interlocking itself with his and he looked up.

"Kenny, you are feeling alright?" 

'Oh', he thinks, 'It's just Alexei'. A sense of wrongness seemed to settle in his belly as he looked at the much larger man. Probably just nerves.

"I'm fine, Aloysha." He says, squeezing the hand holding his. 

"Come on, dance." Alexei replies, pulling him forwards "Can't be letting Jack and B having all the fun."

Kent turns his head to the side and catches the two aforementioned. Eric has his head rested on Jack's shoulder, smiling into his jacket as the two slow danced. Jack's gaze was warm and loving as he smiled down at the man in his arms. Weirdly, he feels no jealousy or the stabbing heart pain that seem to come with anything Jack. He just kind of felt at peace and fuzzy looking at them, and looking at the man carefully leading him into a soft slow dance.

"Come on Kenny," Alexei says, Kent's attention turning back to him. "We are only having so long before we have o go back to hating each other." 

"We never hate each other." Kent laughs 

"I don't know," Alexei smirks back. "You are no speaking for a week after we beat Aces."

"You know I wouldn't hate you over hockey." Kent says softly "Not when I know I have more cups than you."

"Only until next playoffs." Alexei teases, spinning them again. 

"Yeah," Kent taunts "Then we'll have even more ups than you

"Haha, very funny Kenny." 

It was domestic, Kent thinks. Sickeningly so but it felt right. Being held, dancing with someone, being loved. It was all he could wish for in a way. This perfect world, where everything has worked out nicely. They continued to dance more elaborately, going into dips and spins, the other guests giggling and ducking away from them. He still didn't see their faces, but did it matter? They weren't important anyway. 

HE found himself spinning off to the side of the dancefloor, wheezing out a joyed laugh as he sat down on one of the white chairs, Alexei standing above him. 

"Here," He says, pulling the tie off from around his neck and chucking it into Kent's lap "I am needing to breathe. Drink?"

"Sure babe." He says with a smile, leaning back to watch him go. 

The movement of a figure next to him catches his eye as Alexei walks away. He turns to see Bob Zimmermann, elegantly older as ever, looking over at him. He was dressed in a classy grey suit that complimented the grey s and he smiled softly at Kent.

"You seem happy." He says tenderly, crows feet wrinkling as he smiles.

"I am happy." He finds himself saying "I think?"

He peers back at Bob, who now looks at him with a pained, serious expression.

"I don't think you are Kent," He speaks slowly "You need to check your pocket."

"My pocket?" He asks quietly, before feeling into it and withdrawing a pocket watch. 

It was probably golden once but now seemed faded, his reflection just barely showing. He stroked his hands over it. It was familiar somehow but he wasn't sure where from. It wasn't his sort of thing, gold was too tacky in Vegas. He opened it up and looked at the time. 10'o clock he thinks, ignoring the extra number that seemed to squeeze itself in between the 12 and 1. Not important, not important, not important. 

"It's only 10pm," He declares, turning towards Bob.

"Kenny," Bob says, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You're running out of time."

"I'm running out of time," Kent repeats in a daze. "I'm running out of time."

His eyes widen and he snaps into reality. 

"Shit, Shit, Shit." Kent cries "I'm running out of time." He shoves the watch in his pocket and looks up to see that Bob is gone. He looks around the room desperately and realises that the music has stopped playing, and the blurry figures seemed to grow darker, staring intensely at him. He scrambles, running through the room, growing lost in the crowd. There were no doors leading out of the room, only tall windows enveloped by white curtains that towered over him. 

He had to get out.

"Kenny?" Alexei says meekly, behind him.

Kent turns and sees him stood in the corner of the room by a dining table, two drinks held in his hand as he stares at Kent with sadness in his eyes. 

"I'm running out of time." He says pained and watches as sadness seems to overtake his face. 

"Go." He says, placing a drink on the table. "You can do it, Kenny."

He nods almost frantically before grabbing the back of the painted wooden chair in front of him, hoisting it upwards. He looks up at the glass windows, nothing but darkness behind them, and he smashed the chair into it. The glass barely cracks and he tries again. He ignores the wails and groans of the crowd behind him, the familiar voices that beg and plead him to stop. He even ignores Jack's voice begging him to come back to him. He grits his teeth and smashes the window with the chair again, the glass shattering and he finds himself being sucked through and falling, falling, falling again. 

* * *

He awakes fuzzy again, lying on top of what feels like a million things and surrounded by  _ stuff.  _ Chairs, books, old teddys and toys. Clocks, lot's of clocks, all showing him how little time he has left. He sits up, his head aching and the garbage dump beneath him increasingly uncomfortable. His feet slip on the plastic toys and he feels a bit guilty as he sees a barbie dolls head get crushed under his foot. They were someones once. His head still throbs badly. He's not sure why he's here in this dump, or how he got here. But he needs to get out he knows that. He clambers across the mess and spots, not too far ahead, a tent. It sits lonely in the centre of the rubbish lone, a light peeking out of it. He heads towards it, climbing and slipping over the garbage.

As he approaches it, he realises that the tent somehow has a door. Tents don't usually have doors, and yet there is a battered wooden door staring back at him, just barely open to let the light escape. He looks up at the door and realises that scrawled on the door with sharpie is his name. Kent. This is his door, his room. He opens the door and walks in and looks around. It's his room from when he was a teenager. From when he played with Zimms. 

He can tell because Jack seems to be wrapped in the room entirely. His jersey lies on the bed next to Kent's, numbers looking up at him. He runs his hand over them and distantly picks up Jack's and smells it, just like he used to, and holds it close to him. He looks around and realises that there's more stuff decorating his shelf than usual. There's his first pair of skates, the first puck from his and Jack's first win together. A clipping of baby Jack and the Stanley Cup, a small toy he'd bought because it had made Jack smile. A signed photo of Bad Bob that he himself had bought for Kent's birthday. There was his old hockey stick, resting against the shelf. He could remember sitting and wrapping tape on it next to Jack. Asking Jack to kiss it good luck for him, just so Jack would shove him backwards on the bed and promise him one better. He drops the jersey in an almost trance-like state and clutches the stick to his chest instead, hands dancing across the wood. He makes his way over to his dresser, that has pictures taped around it and sits in the chair.

His eyes gloss over each of the pictures. He and Jack in their uniforms, standing with Jack's parents and then his mom, them in casual clothing. A polaroid of him kissing Jack's face. A picture of them together, both older. He's not sure where that one's from. He looks at his reflection and watches as it seems to coo at him.

_ "Look, Kenny," _ it says _ "Look what you can have back, it's proof. "  _

_ "It's proof that he loves you, that he could want you back. You could play together, collect more pictures. One of you holding the cup. If you stay here, Bittle will be gone and you'll be left to pick up the pieces" _

He watches more pictures appear. One of him and Jack holding the Stanley Cup together in their Aces Jerseys, one of Jack and Kit. It looked so right, and yet...

"That's dumb." He says out loud. "Jack won't suddenly start loving me if his boyfriends gone because..."

"Because..."

He stops in realisation and his reflection narrows his eyes at him, scratching against the glass

"Because he already loves me."

"We spent so much time together, feelings like that don't disappear. But it wasn't right. For both of us. I was bad for him and he was bad for me." He says gently, consideringly.

His reflection in the mirror pounds against the glass, howling at him.

"He made me selfish, not on purpose, but he did. It was selfish of me to think we'd be in love together and it was selfish of me to abandon him. He almost died and all I cared about was getting to play and wanting him to be there next to me and that hurt him. He hurt me too, sure, by never coming back. Be never letting me see him, never even breaking up with me. And I never let myself forgive him. He almost died and I couldn't forgive him for that, like the asshole I am"

He felt tears begin to drip as his hands clutched the hockey stick tighter and tighter, his hands shaking. 

"Jack loves me." He says out loud "He loves me and I love him as a friend and that's  _ okay.  _ It's always been okay and I've been stupid, idiotic, selfish and arrogant to think that that kind of love didn't matter."

_ "Stop, you're wrong" _ His reflection wails  _ "He traded you in for the newer model and abandoned  you." _

"No, he didn't. He moved on." Kent shouts back at it "Eric Bittle is the best thing that could ever happen to Jack and I'm going to get him back so that Jack can be happy." 

He launches his head up and stares into his reflections furious eyes, his own stare just as fierce "Maybe then I can let myself be happy"

With that, he snaps the hockey stick and his frenzied reflection gives one last shrieking scream, howling and wailing. Kent throws the wood across the room and rips the pictures that shouldn't be off of the mirror and he runs. Kent runs and runs, racing out of the chair and out of the room, running and running. He trips over some abandoned thing on the ground and falls straight into Jack, still dressed as a prince. Jack stares at him, eyes wide in shock as he gasps at the sight of Kent. He tugs Kent close and squeezes him tightly, pressing his wet eyes into his shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Kent, I'm sorry." He says into Kent's shoulder "I didn't want to give you it, I swear, but it just made me do it. I've never wanted to hurt you, not on purpose."

"You disappeared as soon as you fell and I didn't know where you went and-"

"Jack," Kent says firmly as he unwraps himself from Jack's hold and grabs Jack's shoulders firmly. "I'm sorry and I... forgive you and we should talk about that when you're you."

"But now, we're running out of time and we have to go."

"Okay." Jack says, looking into Kenny's eyes "There's not much further to go, the dump is the last barrier to the castle walls. It won't be long." 

"Then let's go."

* * *

Running through the gates, they discovered that it is abandoned. There are no defences, no one guarding the walls or living in the small town that surrounds it. It is eerie, a crumbling ghost town. But, it is similar to the rest of the maze in a way. The maze itself had been almost abandoned, a select few wearing faces to mess with him but apart from that. Maybe there had never been anyone here at all. They marched through the small houses and up to the steps of the castle itself. As they approach the heavy wooden door to the castle, Kent turns to Jack and smiles at him.

"Go and find your prince." He says grinning "He's probably in the kitchen, just a feeling."

He holds out his hand gingerly, open-palmed for a handshake but Jack ignores it in favour of sweeping Kent into a large bear hug, tighter than before. He squeezes him tight and practically lifts him up off the ground.

"Thank you for everything Kent." He says with a smile "I hope you find what you're looking for." He releases Kent and then rubs his knuckles into his hair with a smirk and steps forward, disappearing into the darkness of the castle. Kent closes his eyes and breathes in one final, heavy breath before walking into the castle.

There is a long winding hallway, dark brown beams angled upwards holding the ceiling up. The windows are made of stained glass and are brightly coloured. There are images of blonde men and goblins, trolls and faeries. There is one beautiful one of a maiden in a giant gown, resting behind the throne in the throne room. He runs forward as he spots it, inspecting would-be throne room and he finds it empty. There is a throne with steps leading up to it and to the side, a heavy black door As he walks towards the throne he realises he can hear voices echoing into the room from the door. He opens the door, steps up and finds himself at the top of a staircase to nowhere. 

The room is like the Escher painting, the one with the stairs that loop in every direction, twisting upwards, downwards, backwards and in circles. His head spins just looking at it. He swallows thickly and is distracted as the voices catch his ears again. He looks over the side of the staircase to see another set of stairs not far underneath and to see Bitty and  _ him _ . The Goblin King. Alexei, his mind whispers, dragging back the strange dream sequence from earlier. It had seemed so real, like a glimpse into the future more than a dream. 

"I think," The large man says to Bittle "This place, it is meant to change."

"Change?" 

"Yes. Kent, he is changing for better. Jack is apologising and seeing perspective, you are doing same. It changes, helps you grow as person"

"Am I?" Eric asked thoughtfully "Changing, I mean." 

"Before, you are blessing Kent's heart. Now you are concerned. Not because of what will happen, but because you are not wanting him to be sad or to be hurt" He points out

"Of course I'm worried." Bittle says softly "He looked like his heart was going to break into two the last time you showed me him ."

"See," Alexei says "Before, you not worry about broken heart. You say is not my problem " 

"What about you?" Eric says, turning his head to look up at Alexei "Have you changed?" 

"I think," He begins "I am being self. I am always being told stay in KHL, stay in Russia, find woman, by my family. But now-"

He turns his head towards Eric and Kent can see his lips curl up into a delicate smile "I am realising does not matter. I go play in USA, fall in love with man, never go back to Russia. Does not matter. I should do what I want. Be happy. "

"Damn straight." Kent says loudly and both of them stare up and behind to see him. Eric beams at him and stands giving him a wave. 

"Took you long enough" He chirps and Kent finds himself, somehow, grinning back. 

"I came didn't I?" He chirps back before he calls down

"Go find your boy, Bittle. He's in the kitchen, waiting for you."

"Really?" Eric says with a wide smile and he leans towards Alexei and hugs the sitting man. He wraps his arms around him carefully and smooths his hair back on his head. 

"Go and end this honey. Get the happy ending you want." He says quietly, Kent barely hearing, before turning around. He stuck his hand out over the edge and it cut off as if going through a portal and suddenly Kent found his floating hand reaching towards him. He gripped Eric's hand and pulled him forwards, Eric appearing in front of him like magic. He gave Kent a soothing smile and a nod, eager and distracted to make sure that Jack was okay, and he practically sprints out of the door when Kent leans out of his way. 

Gingerly, Kent steps over the edge of the staircase, his stomach turning upside down as he tilts over and finds himself stood on the staircase, above the Goblin King. He doesn't look up at first, eyes trained on the darkness below as the tips of his ears became redder and redder. 

"You heard the man." Kent says with a grin "Let's end this, properly."

Alexei stands up, still towering over Kent despite him being several steps up. He holds out a hand towards him and the man's giant hand takes it and immediately the staircase underneath them crumbles apart and they begin to fall, one last time. Still clutching the mans sweaty palm, they land on a platform with a red burning sunset somehow now surrounding them. He releases his hand and turns to face him fully. 

"Everyone here," Kent whispers "Everyone here, I've seen before. Some I've met once, some are important. How do I know you?"

"I don't know." The man whispers back, creeping in closer to Kent. He takes his hands again, his larger palms sliding under Kent's own. "I see you, once, and I fall in love. Didn't ask to be here, promise" 

"I don't think any of us did." Kent laughs and he ducks his head down, leaning in closer himself. 

"There's a lot of past here." He murmurs back "Maybe you're in my future. Maybe you're important to me one day."

"Maybe is what this place wants. Give you someone else so you forget pain."

"I don't care if this is what it wants." Kent interrupts "You said it yourself, it doesn't matter."

"But-"

"I always do what I want." Kent says " No one makes me do anything. Not this place, not Jack, not you. If you are in my future, it's not as a replacement. No one's a replacement." 

Alexei smiles sadly at that, hands clutching Kent's like a life line. Kent leans in and kisses the man faintly, hands tightening over his before resting his head against the other man's. Kent's feet pushing him upwards, jittering from holding that position, and Alexei neck hunched forwards.

"What if this fake." Alexei exhales "Part of the script, part of what it wants to happen"

"I don't give a damn what it wants. It has no power over you, over me." Kent mutters, his words brushing over Alexei's lips "You have no power over me."

He leans back, hands flying out and he cups them around his mouth "You hear that you stupid fucking Labyrinth?" He yells into the void around him. "You have no power over me. I do what I want-"

He is cut off by a loud chime. He looks down. In his pocket, the watch begins to chime, dinging louder and louder in his ears. Looking back up to Alexei's face he pats hi cheek gently and steps away from him and pulls out the watch to look at it. Time's up. He wonders if after all this, has he even done enough to be allowed to leave? 

He closes his eyes and lets the chimes reverberate in his ears. He tries to open his eyes but finds the world around him, Alexei as well, is gone and only pitch-black darkness remains. He feels the chimes of the clock bounce against his head, his skin and when he opens his eyes again, he is still lying on top of Jack's dark blue sheets in his apartment. He sits up sharply. Had it been a dream? It was a pretty fucking insane dream if so. He abruptly remembered Eric and leapt from the bed, racing into Jack's kitchen. His socks slid against the linoleum tile as he flew around the corner. 

Bittle was stood in the centre of the kitchen crying, apron on and his hands covered by oven mitts.

"Bittle?" He says quietly 

"My pie." He receives as a teary response "I used up all the last of my maple sugar makin' that crust"

"I'm sorry. I didn't realise it was burning until it was too late. You're probably missing some of the mini ones as well"

"It's okay honey, it's not your fault." Bitty says distractedly "I woulda turned the oven off if I knew I was gonna get kidnapped."

"It wasn't a dream," Kent says in reply

"Of course it wasn't." Eric says matter of factly "D'you think I'd let a pie burn without some kinda magical interference?"

Kent doesn't know what to say to that. He is saved by Eric abandoning the pie with a huff, chucking the blackened mass into the bin and then turning towards Kent. He gives him a gentle smile and then tugs Kent towards him and envelops him in his arms. 

"I'm sorry Kent." He says "I'm sorry that I never gave you a chance and I'm sorry that you were hurt."

"I'm sorry too." He whispers back "For everything I said to Jack, everything I said about you. You're perfect for him, probably too good for him really."

"I forgive you for that honey and I know Jack will too." 

He pulls away and looks at Kent with a tender smile 

"You're right, about him loving you. He really does want you to be happy, in your own way. I hope y'all can make up. Have a better friendship."

"I hope so too." Jack interrupts from behind them, and Bitty turns tilting his head to smile sweetly at Jack.

He walks himself into Jack's arms, giving him a quick kiss. He whispers something to Jack's ear and Jack mumbles something back, pressing a kiss into Eric's hair lovingly. He then turns back to Kent, smiling peacefully.

"I'm sorry Kent." Jack says quietly "For everything. You deserved better-"

"Enough Zimms." Kent says with a grin, before lightly punching his shoulder "No more soppy apologies, I gave you one of those earlier."

"That you did." Jack laughs lightly "Stay for dinner. We can catch up, no insults or yelling involved."

"Maybe some chirping." Bitty interrupts with a chortle

"Are you kidding Bitty?" Kent smirks "There won't be some, there will be a LOT of chirping."

* * *

Months later, Kent finally meets Alexei in real life. He always wondered if it would be a meet-cute. Meeting at a coffee shop, set up on a blind date, sat next to each other on the same flight. He didn't think it would be him getting slammed into the boards by the larger Russian man. He grinned viciously and shouldered him back. Alexei didn't grin back, simply frowning at him for a second before chasing off after the puck. Rude. 

After the game he is stood in the hallways, slouched against the wall trying to look casual. He watched as various Falconers filtered in and out, Zimm's giving him a good-natured thump on the shoulder and a thumbs up. Watching as Alexei stepped out of the changing room, Kent carefully pushed himself off the wall.

"Yo." He said quietly, hands in a wave.

"You are Kent Parson, yes?" Alexei says in response and Kent frowns, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Yeah, uh," He says "You don't remember?"

"No. Did I meet when I was here in Summer?"

"Uh, sort of-"

"I was in car crash," He explains "Nothing bad, as you see, still can play. Had small head injury, don't remember that week."

"Oh." Kent says "That sucks"

"Yes, is sucking." He says almost impatiently "Did you need something?"

"It's just-" Kent says with a huffed laughed" We kinda had a date planned. Here I thought I'd been stood up for half a year."

"Really?" Alexei says. He doesn't sound surprised, Kent notes, he sounds hopeful.

"Yeah, dude. I was hoping I could convince you to buy me a pity coffee since you beat our asses. Least you could do."

"I don't drink coffee." He says and Kent stops breathing for a moment. Maybe it was never meant to-

"Maybe instead you buy me victory dinner. We better so we deserve reward, da?"

Kent smirks at him. "Oh yeah? Does that mean when we come to kick your ass next month you'll buy me dinner as well?"

"Maybe." Alexei says grinning back, clapping a hand on Kent's shoulder "Maybe you re buying me dinner a second time."

"You wish." Kent says, pushing Alexei forwards with the back of his hand "Come on, I know the best place to get a meal around here."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there we go! I hope you guys liked it. This is the longest fanfic I have written in a long time so I'm hoping you found it somewhat enjoyable (and more importantly, readable) I have another one planned that's a zombie apocalypse AU that I may write depending on work. But yeah <3 Thank you for reading

**Author's Note:**

> I was going to post this all in one go but work has murdered me this week so I wanted the first bit to at least be up!! I have made an entire plot outline so if you guys nag me enough I will finish writing it ( When I'm not getting up at 4.30am for work)


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